Beneath the moonlight that spilt across the towering mountains and forested area, Kaolin stood before the sealed gates of Yueluo Gu. The cold wind whistled down from the peaks, carrying with it the familiar scent of incense, just as it had all those years ago, when he first set foot here during the Cultivators' Night. So much had changed, and yet here the gates stood, untouched by time and bearing the same protective seal that shimmered faintly under the stars.
The seal flickered and groaned as he drew closer, recognising him and yet protesting at the same time, perhaps confused by the blend of dark and celestial powers surging within him, before they slowly yielded to his commands and let him pass.
Yueluo Gu had not changed. Not the least. Even the ancestral seat of the Tuo Clan stood tall and proud at the heart of it all. It was as if the whole stronghold had entered a time loop of its own and frozen in time, while the rest of Shenzhou had succumbed to the merciless grip of Demons and Devils.
Kaolin strode down the courtyard, towards the main building, just as the two guards at the entrance noticed him and raised their swords. Their posture was alert but not aggressive. No words had reached them about visitors, not that such would be the case at such an odd hour, and so it was only natural that they were taking all precautions.
"Halt! State your name and purpose," one of them said.
"I'm here on behalf of Immortal Lord Zhenhai," Kaolin said. "I've come to speak with Commander Taohua about a matter that cannot wait."
The guards exchanged a wary glance before the other demanded, "We'll need your name."
"My name is irrelevant," Kaolin said, cutting in before the guards could protest. "Commander Taohua knows me well and treating his guest like this will not earn you his favour."
A flicker of uncertainty passed between the guards, and after a brief moment of silence, one of them nodded. "Then wait here. We'll—"
"No need," Kaolin interrupted, stepping forwards as energy rose from his core and blasted outwards, tearing the swords from the guards' grips without spilling a drop of blood. When the blades struck the ground with a resonant clang, Kaolin did not spare the stunned guards a glance; instead, he simply advanced past them.
The two guards, visibly distraught, scrambled to their feet and picked up their swords, ready to pursue and stop him, when Kaolin broke off mid-step, snapped around and fixed them with a glare so that they froze in place. Though his voice remained calm and collected, the look on his face was enough to curdle the blood of the bravest Moonshadow Guard warrior. "Since I know the way, I'll see myself in," he said, "no need to accompany me."
He then crossed the threshold and soon stood before the doors of the inner chamber. For a heartbeat, he remained still, memories flooding his mind all at once – memories that led nowhere. But only for a moment.
Moonlight spilt across the chamber, deepening the shadows in every corner as several Moonshadow Guards shifted into defensive stances, their hands moving towards their swords as the doors burst open. But Taohua, who stood amongst them, raised a hand before any blade could be drawn as his eyes settled on the familiar figure at the doorway.
"You…" Taohua's voice trembled with disbelief, his expression that of someone who had just seen a ghost, before it softened. He then drew a shaky breath, staggered forwards, and wrapped Kaolin in an embrace forged by shared hardship and a friendship unbroken by the passage of time. Kaolin stood still at first, then returned the embrace, letting the warmth of the reunion wash over him.
Pulling back, Taohua's hands trembled slightly as they hovered over Kaolin's shoulders, his chest, and face. "You're real… right? Tell me, is this a dream? Or are you a spirit sent by the heavens to haunt me?"
Kaolin gave a faint chuckle. "I am no ghost, Commander. And you're not dreaming. Nor am I here to haunt you."
"But how is this possible?" he said, his voice still trembling. "Where have you been all these years? Do you have any idea how long I've been searching for you?"
"It's a long story," Kaolin said. "One, I've neither the desire nor the time to recount. I've come to deliver His Highness' words. Will you, as the head of Yueluo Gu, receive them?"
Taohua straightened, his eyes still wide with awe, but already returning to the bearing of an experienced commander. "Yueluo Gu and its Moonshadow Guards are ever in His Highness' service," he said. "Come. Sit with me. Let us mark your return with a cup of tea, if nothing else."
Kaolin nodded with a faint smile, taking the seat across from Taohua as the guards dispersed and the servants laid out the tea. The familiar space between them was now charged with years of unspoken words as well as the threat of an inevitable war that would harvest countless souls on both sides. But for now, neither of them disturbed the silence that hung between them, as if to savour every second of this reunion, which was no less a miracle.
When the commander poured another cup for him, the aroma of the fragrant leaf merging with the earthy smell of the night air drifting through the open window, Kaolin set the cup down just after the first sip passed his lips.
"The demons are taking more land with each passing day," he began, "and the seals of Huan-Yue weaken. It won't hold for much longer. When that day comes, Huan-Yue will need the strength and aid of Yueluo Gu and its brave Moonshadow Guards."
Taohua set his cup down as well, his fingers curling around the table's edge. The warmth drained from his expression, replaced by the untold burdens of a clan leader. "Rest assured, Master Kaolin. Yueluo Gu and its Moonshadow Guards will stand with Huan-Yue until our last breath. We will never break the oath we swore like the others."
Kaolin rose, satisfied. "Then our brief reconciliation ends here, Commander."
"But you've travelled far," Taohua said, standing with him. "Why not stay a while or rest for the night?"
Kaolin shook his head. "I must remain a ghost, for now. If word spreads that I've returned, the wrong ears will hear it. Thus, I humbly ask you to keep my return to yourself."
"In that case, you have my word."
But fate, as always, had other plans. Just as Kaolin turned to leave the chamber, the doors swung open with a burst, and in stormed the person he had least expected to see in this place. His limbs froze. But not for long. Quickly, he turned away from her before her eyes could settle on him as she brushed past him in a rush, desperate to get a word with the commander.
"This is bad news, Taohua!" Xiyan exclaimed. "Take a look at this! I found it here, at Yueluo Gu!"
Though he had meant to leave, Kaolin found himself rooted in place, listening, his head turning slightly to see the cause of Xiyan's sudden arrival.
"Isn't this the emblem of the Korran Clan?" she said, adding before the commander could get a word in. "He must've returned! That tyrant, Master Kaolin, who slaughtered his clan members without batting an eye! He must be here in Yueluo Gu as we speak! Quick, summon the Moonshadow Guards and catch him!"
Kaolin let his eyes drift to his sleeve, where a teared seam exposed the place where his clan's emblem had once been stitched. Somewhere along the way to Yueluo Gu, unbeknownst to him, the patch had torn loose, and now it was in Xiyan's possession.
The air grew deathly still as Commander Taohua, utterly flustered, sought his eyes, pleading with him to help him out. But Kaolin could do nothing but smile upon hearing those words, while also enjoying the faces the great Commander was making in response to this comical situation they found themselves in. And for a while, Taohua's mouth opened, then closed, repeatedly, and beads of cold sweat trickled from his brow, until he finally stuttered:
"Oh, you mean this emblem? Right, so the thing is…or… or what I'm trying to say is that," Taohua fumbled for the right words. "I-It's mine! I, uh, found it! Right! Back at… uh… Koryuthan! Yes, that's what happened! In the ruins… while I was, h, patrolling the… the… borders!"
Xiyan's eyes narrowed. "You… found it? At Koryuthan?"
Taohua nodded far too quickly. "Exactly!" he said, then added upon seeing her raise a brow. "What? Do you think I'm lying or-or something?"
A smirk tugged at Kaolin's lips as he lowered his head, entertained by the peculiar exchange that reminded him of their time in search of the Divine Artefacts several thousand years ago, then he slipped from the chamber, leaving the two alone.
Back in the chamber, Taohua stood stiffly, sweat visible along his temple as he snatched the emblem from Xiyan, whose suspicion grew with every passing second. "You're hiding something. I can tell, so just out with it!"
Taohua laughed nervously. "Am I? I, uh, don't think I am."
She stared at him hard. "Yeah?" she said. "You're acting suspicious right now, you know that?"
Taohua gave a sheepish smile, then quickly changed the subject to keep the questions from coming. "Anyway, what's brought you here?"
"Nothing," she said, "do I need a reason to come home?"
"Home?"
"I thought you said Yueluo Gu would always be my home, and that I would forever be welcomed should the Demons—"
He leapt forwards and covered her mouth. "Shh! Are you trying to announce that you conspire with the Demons!?" he snapped, casting a wary glance around them before letting go. "I have enough on my plate as is…"
Xiyan was about to respond, then, as if she just remembered something, looked in the direction of the chamber doors. "By the way, who was that guy?"
Commander Taohua stiffened again but quickly regained his bearing and feigned ignorance. "Huh? What guy?"
"The one who just left."
"You must've seen wrong—"
"Taohua!"
The commander drew a deep breath, stalling for some time as he gathered his thoughts to come up with a plausible lie. "It's just a friend," he said at last, but upon seeing the flicker of doubt in her eyes, more offended than anything, added nimbly. "Why, I can't have one?"
"Since when did our great Commander have time to make friends?"
"Xiyan, you…!" He then calmed down, reminding himself that he wasn't supposed to let anybody in on Master Kaolin's return. "Enough about me. Now tell me: why are you here? But the real reason…"
"It really is nothing, Taohua! I just… missed home."
"Then why not pledge yourself to the Moonshadow Guards?"
"I can't do that," she said, sitting across him and pouring herself a cup of tea. "Not anymore." Her smile fading. "You know that already…"
"Why not? It's still not too late," he tried. "But once the war begins, not even I can protect you. Do you understand what that means—"
Xiyan cut in before he could finish his sentence, catching the commander off guard with the speed at which she shifted the conversation as well as her expressions. "Hold on! I know this smell!"
"…What?"
"It's wild ginger and plum vinegar over fire, with a touch of fermented lotus paste!"
"Xiyan, what are you—"
"It's Moonveil stew, isn't it, Taohua? The one Grandma used to make during winter? Right?" She was all excited now. "Do you remember we used to sneak into the kitchen just to eat straight out of the pot?"
Having given up all attempts to steer the conversation back, Taohua drew a deep breath and replied: "I remember. I also remember we got scolded every time we did that, me more than you, because you – somehow – always ran off before she could catch you."
"What? You think I did that on purpose?"
"You didn't? Can you swear on your honour that—"
"Of course I didn't!" she exclaimed. "How is it my fault that you were too slow-witted to notice her in time?"
"Slow-witted?" Taohua raised his voice more than he intended, offended by those words. "If you hadn't run off on your own and just let me know, we wouldn't even be having this conversation!"
Xiyan shot to her feet upon hearing this and turned to leave the chamber, not in the mood to have this sort of conversation, when Taohua's gentle voice melted away every trace of anger, causing her to freeze just inches from the cracked doors, where moonlight split through the gap and caught the tears threatening to fall.
"Xiyan, whether you return to Yueluo Gu or stay with the demons, know that Yueluo Gu will forever be your home. You can return whenever you want, no matter where you are and what you've done. If not anything, I can promise you that."
Xiyan brushed away a sole tear trickling down from her cheek, unable to respond to these sincere words. She knew she was safe with the Tuos, that Taohua would protect her for as long as he was alive, but some things could not be prevented – like her fate and the destined war that threatened not only her existence but also that of Yueluo Gu.
The Demon God promised her he would spare the lives of her adopted clan in return for her service, binding her to a path from which there was no return. Who knew? Perhaps this would be their final meeting, beneath the same moon, breathing the same air, before destiny tore them apart. Forever.